where dandelions grow | cover reveal

Gooooooooooooood morning everybody!

Or afternoon, or evening. Whatever time it is when you guys read this.

Today, I am going to be helping Lydia share the cover for her (AMAZING) book to the world! I'm currently review-reading it and I love it so far!!!!

The book will be released as an e-book on September 26th. Pre-order your copy today for just $0.99! Find the book on Amazon: TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOOK!

I cannot wait! I'll be participating in the blog tour at the end of September, as well.

Now, for the moment you've ALL been waiting for... the cover!

Cousins are forever, or at least they’re supposed to be. 

What happens when your world falls apart and your dreams are mocked by those closest to you? 

Destiny’s idyllic childhood full of laughter and cousins abruptly ended when her mom uprooted the family to move them across the country with strict instructions to never talk about Swallow Ridge again. Eleven years later Destiny moves back to her hometown, determined to find her cousins… and answers. 

Plagued by generations of bitterness and manipulation, Destiny hides her life-long goal - unwilling to let anyone else trample her fragile dreams. But living in the cozy town full of dandelions teaches Destiny there’s more to life than what she’s been taught. 

Is it possible Swallow Ridge not only holds the answers Destiny so intensely searches for, but also the hope?

Yay, I'm so excited for this!!! Like I said, the book is REALLY good so far! You ALL should read it!

Oh, before you go, one more thing. Lydia's having a... GIVEAWAY!!!!! She is going to be giving away two Amazon giftcards.

Click the link below to enter:

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

What do you think of the gorgeous cover?

Have you read Where Dandelions Grow?

Are you going to read it?

Until we meet again,

terrible writings of the past | all about the cringe-worthy WIPs i started and never finished

School is going to be starting very soon for me. 

On September 8th, to be exact. Yes, I'm homeschooled and yes, I did do school through the summer, but things will be back in full swing in September rather than maybe lazily doing a lesson or two of math every few days.

And with the new school year comes new beginnings.

I've had so many new beginnings with my writing I can't even count. But, I have finally begun a journey that I will get to the end of. A novel that I will finish!

But, that is for another time. Today I'm gonna be talking about aaalllll my unfinished novels.

Actually, no, not really. That'd be a lot of books. I'm only going to be featuring a few in this post.

Be aware that most of these unfinished and terrible novels came from a very cliché mind (don't worry, I've passed that stage). Some of them are absolutely terrible and others are just a bit cringe-worthy if at all. Enjoy.

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genre: Christian Contemporary

word count: 9,208

NaNoWriMo 2016 Novel

Ugh, I hate this one so much. Halfway through NaNo I just quit because it was just ripping me to pieces. Every time I logged onto that document I was depressed because I didn't want to write that story. I thought I did at first, but as soon as I was about 2,000 words in...nah ah. I just couldn't stand it.

In Moving On, a fourteen-year-old named Janelle is just starting High School. She and her mom have just moved and her dad had also died about a year earlier. Basically it's about how she's a complete train wreck starting school and how she gets over it. It's so cliché I cringe even thinking about it.

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genre: Historical Fiction, YA

word count: 12,550

Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Novel

I actually really, really love this book. It is very cliché, but I still love it. For a while I have wanted to restart it, but haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

Bringing in the Sheaves is about two fourteen year old cousins name Livy (Olivia) Storm and Avery Williams. They are on the trail West with Livy's parents and Avery's father. Avery's mother died a few months earlier and her dad has a weak/diseased heart, so she needs to learn to bring her troubles to God and let Him do His work in her life. I really wish that this story would work for me, but Historical fiction isn't really what I do.

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genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, YA

word count: 532

Random Plot Bunny

Yeah...this one didn't go too far. I seriously didn't get past the plot before this book went into the "To-Be-Finished Later" folder.

In Count the Stars, every person has their own Star that watches over them - kinda like a guardian angel. One day, a girl's Star falls from the sky, and she has to help him get back to his home. I really, really love the idea. I may even continue writing it someday...just not right now.

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genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

word count: 1,307

Random Plot Bunny

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!! I just...never wrote much of it.

In The Chest in the Attic, three girls, one Jewish, one Christian, and one neither who are from different countries are sent to a safe house in Switzerland as WWII rages on. At the house, they explore the attic and find - you guessed it - a chest. The chest is locked, and they are trying to find the key to open it, which is hidden somewhere in the town. Maybe someday I'll finish this. Someday...

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genre: Medieval Fantasy, Fairy-tale Retelling

word count: 10,495

Camp NaNoWriMo 2017 Novel

This book was so much fun to write...for the first 9,000 words. After that I had to force myself to write more...and then I stopped.

The Rose's Shadow is a Beauty and the Beast retelling following Blaire, the oldest of twelve princesses. When her youngest sister falls ill in the night, she and Colene, the second oldest sister, must ride out into the night to get a special medicine for her. On the way back, the two are separated and Blaire comes upon an old castle...which leads to the whole Beauty and the Beast part.

I really, really, really want to rewrite the whole thing and start over, buuuuuuuuuuuut I don't really want to. I have a sort of love hate relationship with this book right now.

Yes, those are five of the past writings that I failed to finish. Because September is the month of new beginnings! I shall throw all these writings away and step forward with a clean slate!

Or, I could just leave them in a folder to collect dust until I feel like maybe finishing them.

Yeah... I'll go with the latter thought.

what did you think of my failed writings?

should I take them from their shelves, dust them off, and continue them?

or not?

Stay Beautiful,

in which i freak out about my personality type because it suddenly and spontaneously changed

(EVERY TIME I SEE THAT FEATURED IMAGE I FLAIL OVER IT BECAUSE MY PRETTY FONT. <3 I'm addicted to downloading fonts. Don't question me.)

Anyway, that's a super duper long title, Anika.

yes, yes I do love this gif so very much

BUT I'M ALSO FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW AND RUNNING IN CIRCLES LIKE A CHICKEN BECAUSE...

I am not longer an ENFP.

I am an INFP.

no, I am totally not obsessed with this gif either. that's crazy.

Yes, I have joined the League of Introverts. I am now sworn into this band of people who hate social interaction and want to sit inside all day and read a book.

Well, not really, but I have become very introverted in the past three months. And then I took the test just because I like to every now and then...

and I fainted.

Well, not really, but I was shocked. And I mean REALLY shocked.

Because who doesn't like change?

Pfft, totally not me. Why would you even think that? I LOVE change. Couldn't get 'nough of it. #not

But, then, something happened; I began to hate things I loved and love things I hated. I know, I know. It's SO. WEIRD. LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME.

things i used to love but i now hate doing:

• There's this thing called social interaction that I have to do sometimes now and nah ah. No thanks. Nada. ME NO LIKEY. XD
• And then there's this other thing called talking to strangers. *laughs* It's torture now.
• And THEN there's this thing called SOMEDAY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET A JOB AND HAVE TO TALK TO STRANGERS EVEN MORE OFTEN *cries*

things i used to hate but i now love doing:

• I love when I have time to lay on my bed and close my eyes and fangirl internally about Keefe think about life and spend some time to myself.
• And I also love being by myself in quiet places. Especially outdoors. It makes me impossibly happy.
• And I love sleeping now. I used to, like, HATE when I had to go to bed but now I look forward it...?

I know, I know, it doesn't.

I feel so very different just because that E changed to an I. I know that what an online survey says doesn't define you, but doesn't it feel strange to be known as something for so long and all of a sudden change into something else?

But, don't worry. I'm still me. I'll never ever stop being me no matter what personality type I am.

So, what did you think of my crazily messed up ramblings about the wonders of introvertism (YES, AUTOCORRECT, THAT IS, IN FACT, A WORD)?

Are you an introvert, or an extrovert? What personality type are YOU?

Have you ever had your personality type change before (WITHOUT your permission)?

Until we meet again,

beautiful people | baie vano

Hello, everyone!

It feels like FOREVER since I've done a Beautiful People link up. Probably because I haven't done one since... *goes to check*

February.

February 15th, to be exact.

Well, I'm doing it now! Because that's what counts, right?

Anyway, I am going to be using Baie Vano from SECRET NOVEL for this BP linkup (yes, I haven't told you about it because it's a SECRET). She is a secondary character I am trying to get to know better. Enjoy.

the lovely questions & answers

what can’t they live without?

Baie wouldn't be able to live without her family. She has two siblings, and they and her parents mean the world to her. She also probably wouldn't be able to live without food and water either because, haha, she needs those to survive.

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name 3 positive and 3 negative qualities about the character.

Positive: 

1. Baie is very caring and kind.
2. She would do anything for those she loves.
3. She is very skilled in the art of the sword (or any blade, really).

Negative:

1. Baie has a tendency to blame herself when other people get hurt.
2. She also tends to believe the negative things people say about her.
3. She is very curious, which can be both positive and negative at different times.

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are they holding onto something they should get rid of?

Baie does have some stuff that she is holding onto for the sake of memories, but none that she should get rid of.

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do they have any pets?

Baie loves animals, but no she does not have any pets. Her parents are already sure that their kids are the only animals needed in the house.

Readers: OH THAT WAS A TERRIBLE PUN ANIKA.

Me:

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if 10 is completely organized and 1 is completely messy, where do they fall on the scale?

Well, Baie can be very organized at times and then very messy at times. I'd say that she's a 5 or 6 in most places. In certain places though, such as school or her bedroom, she is probably a 3.

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what most frustrates them about the world they live in?

Baie gets frustrated most with the evil and pain in her world. She doesn't like it when people get hurt or when bad things happen, and she gets frustrated when it does happen.

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how would they dress for a night out? how would they dress for a night in?

night out:

• Baie would wear a cute dress and her absolute favorite type of shoes, what we would call strappy sandals. She likes floral or nature prints on clothing, as well.

night in:

• On a night in she would wear something simple; a comfortable sun dress or maybe just a shirt and some shorts.

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how many shoes do they own, and what kind?

I'd say Baie has about...6 pairs of shoes. 2 pairs of strappy sandals, 2 pairs of boots, and 1 pair of flats and 1 with heels. The boots she'd wear more outdoors, but the rest are more indoor or formal shoes.

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is there something or someone they resent? why and what happened?

NOPE NOPE NOPE.

Too many spoilers would come if I answered that questions. Sorry!

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what's usually in their fridge or pantry?

There's always something sweet in their house, the result of her older brother, Cayson. And a whole bunch of other stuff. I don't think I could name them all, and I probably don't know them all either. There are always some fruit and vegetables, though.

It's been SO long since I've done Beautiful People! Did you enjoy this? What do you think of Baie? She's SUPER sweet and caring and (*cough*) my favorite character I've ever created in the history of my books (and that goes back a while!).

five things every writer needs and would die without

So, you may have noticed my new blog header (I bet you guys are pretty tired of me changing it). You may still see a few more tweaks here and there (I'm trying to get drop downs to work on Blogger), and all of my pages will be updated soon.

Now, there are eight things (maybe there are more, I dunno) that writers need. They can't even live without them. So, being the kind, tender hearted person I am, I have made it all into a cute little list for you to feast your eyes upon. You're welcome.

5 Things Every Writer Would Die Without:

• Coffee / Caffeinated Tea

Because, obviously, we need caffeine. How would we survive endless nights of editing and editing and editing and writing? (Notice how many times I said editing?). I mean, I enjoy editing (yeah, go ahead and laugh) but it takes so looooonnnggg. Like hours and hours and hours. GAH.

• Pinterest

Pinterest is our prompt/character picture/scene inspiration/pretty much anything writerly universe. We use it all the time and the result can sometimes be the dreaded Pinterest-block (yes, 'tis a real thing) where you spend more than three days without touching your Pinterest account. *cue horrified gasps*

• Notebooks

I'm telling you guys, I would go crazy without notebooks. I have probably filled 100 of them up to the brim in my lifetime with drawings, stories, ideas, notes, everything. And, that reminds me; I need to buy some empty notebooks... :P

•  Editors

By editors I mean alphas, and betas, and critique partners, and actual editors. Because not matter what who can do all the editing for one whole book by themselves? No one, I tell you. No one.

• Books

Because this one is so #obvious. Books are things we draw writing energy from (that and food because we all know we NEED food to write). We draw inspiration and encouragement from them too. We also  flail over  their fantastic covers, hoping that ours will someday look as fabulous. 

What are some things that YOU need to write?

Do you like coffee/tea?

PS: If you want, go check out my new and improved...author site! Here's the link: http://authoranikajoy.weebly.com/

Until we meet again,